There are literally dozens, if not hundreds of golf training devices, each seeking to aid players in improving their golf game. However, devices for improvement of putting are fewer in number, perhaps, as recreational golfers feel that putting is easy or routine. However, many recreational and even professional golfers require trainings aids to improve body movements and to improve alignment for putting.
With regard to the training aids designed to aid or improve a player's putting stroke, most are directed to the movement of the upper body, the hands and arms, the path in which the golf club travels, and centeredness of contact. However, little attention has been given to the stability of the lower body during the putting stroke. Ideally, the lower body (below the waistline) will remain immobile during the back swing and on the forward swing until the golf putting stroke is completed.
The training aids for the lower body commonly use a fabric/elastic strap to restrict/ensure proper movement throughout the back swing. However, such a training aid does not allow for immobilization of the lower body throughout the entire putting stroke. Furthermore, these devices do not allow for differences in stance widths, aiming, and set up correction in all cases.
Examples which have been proposed to control the movement of the player's legs during the swing are disclosed in GB 2,284,556 (BUCKINGHAM); U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,885 (QUICGLEY); U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,957 (JACKSON) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,326 (BIFULCO); U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,845 B1 (PRIESTLEY).
The latter three documents disclose training aids where the player's knees (or lower legs) are bound together at a fixed spacing. In GB 2,284,556 (BUCKINGHAM), the device is fitted between both knees below the knee joints, with side supports, secured by releasable straps, where a plastic swivel bar with a center pivot interconnects the side supports and allows some controlled movement between the legs. While some movement between the knees can occur during the swing, both knees mist be fastened to the device, generating an unnatural movement. Practicing such unnatural movements leads to poor habits and potentially injury in some cases.
Furthermore, such a training aid does not allow for aiming, set up correction, or restriction of leg movement on the forward swing. In sum, these training aids provide for unnatural set-up and practice of the putting swing. Therefore, new training aids are necessary that are particularly suited to putting training aids.